United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS, MAN CHARGED WITH FEDERAL FIREARM
AND FIREARM-RELATED OFFENSES

LUBBOCK, Texas — The driver of a vehicle which was stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers on New Year’s Eve, 2008, has been charged in a federal indictment with firearm and firearm-related felony offenses, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

Dionisio Anibal Saucedo, Jr., 21, is charged with one count of aiding and abetting possession of an unregistered, sawed-off, shotgun, and one count of misprision of a felony. Saucedo is currently in state custody on related charges.

According to documents filed in court, on December 31, 2008, Saucedo was driving on U.S. Highway 87 when he was stopped by a DPS trooper in Eden, Texas. Saucedo’s passenger, Manuel Alcantar, was being sought in a murder investigation.

During the traffic stop, Saucedo informed the trooper that he and Alcantar did not have any weapons in the vehicle. However, as Saucedo knew, there was a firearm in the vehicle. In fact, Alcantar used that weapon to fire at the DPS trooper, who returned fire, and mortally wounded Alcantar.

The aiding and abetting possession of an unregistered firearm charge against Saucedo carries a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, upon conviction. The misprision of a felony count carries a maximum statutory sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, upon conviction.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, the San Angelo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting.

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